A Ranger's Last Stand
by NoNewName
Summary: A prophecy is foretelling the destruction of a red ranger. Who will be there to save Leo Corbett when all is lost? No slash, Crossover of several incarnations. Please R & R
1. The Prophecy

_On the day when the sun shines high,_

_A great darkness will fall from the sky_

_He of fire and light will go final_

_For those of four, one, and all_

_A great hero will die,_

_The strength of a sum Hell behold_

_For it will thought to be that of fault_

_Yet only one will suffer this night_

_To be saved, this great evil must be fought_

_Though his pain will never stop_

_His cross to bear with one to mourn_

_Disclaimer (for whatever I write)-I own none of it. I just have a mad crush on Danny Slavin and happen to solely enjoy PRLG. I'm just dabbling. Also, broke college student, so please be nice. _


	2. Promises, Prophecies, and Lies

"So what you're saying is that Leo is going to die and there is nothing we can do about it," unlike the rest of the rangers-minus Leo- and the Magna Defender, Kai had not yet broken down.

Not that he was far from doing so. Kai had not always liked Leo, but to know that the very essence of someone he considered a best friend was in danger, because of a prophecy made eons ago, was becoming too much to handle.

"Please, this must be a lie," said Mike turning towards the old man who had been told to warn the rangers of the death-danger Leo was in. Mike had been the first to come to the meeting chamber on Mirinoi. Leo had ambled in last, his hand around Kendrix' shoulder, a warm smile on his face.

Leo, unlike so many of the rangers that had come before him, had ended his time without losing the majority of his innocence. Now he was losing his life, as quickly as they found out the news.

"I will leave you here rangers," said this bearer of worst news, "to deal with your imminent loss. We will meet at the sabers tomorrow at dawn. It is pertinent that you are not late."

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Silence reigned in the chamber as each ranger collapsed quietly into their own mind, shocked. They had not been expecting this.

Mike finally looked up. Leo was looking at the ceiling, deep in thought, the shock had already seemed to have worn off.

"So what are we going to do?" asked the green ranger, Damon, when the quiet became too much to bear. "Because, uh, this seems like the right time to do something."

Leo, ever the leader, spoke up for the first time, "We're not going to do anything. We can't risk the lives of the other red rangers, just because…"

"Just because. This isn't just because of anything Leo. How could you think that I'm just going to let you die, just waste away, just do this," Mike's voice dropped down to a harsh whisper as he dropped down in front of Leo and forced him to look him in the eyes.

"You promised me little brother. You promised me you wouldn't die. Do you remember that?" Leo nodded, still disbelieving.

Mike's voice got even quieter. "Do you remember the promise I made to dad, Leo? We had a deal, remember, the three of us, we don't lie to each other and we don't break promises. Remember Leo?"

Once again silence reigned, "Do you remember Leo?" Mike asked. "That wasn't a rhetorical question."

"I remember."

"Good, now that's it's settled, what do we now?" Mike asked as he stood up, still keeping a comforting arm on Leo's shoulder, as if he could imbue some mysterious strength in his brother just through loving touch.

"Just that the elders here think that this prophecy refers to Leo. And that the only possible way to save Leo involves the other red rangers and their powers, though they won't tell us how," Kendrix said, her fingers intertwining themselves more tightly in Leo's.

"How do we even know that this prophecy actually refers to Leo? How do we even know that it's referring to Leo?" Damon asked disbelievingly.

Maya looked out at the sky outside the door. "The prophecies that the elders hold have been passed down for several millennia. No one knows their origin, but they have never been wrong," she trailed sadly.

"Well then this will be the first time," Mike said angrily.

The others nodded.

"So what's the plan? Because we should really try and gets the ball rolling, since we have less than a day to work a minor miracle. "

"I think we should call the other red rangers," Kendrix said. "They'll help.

Leo began shaking his head, but Mike cut him off before he could say anything.

"No dice, Leo, you promised. "

"Mike, we can't just ask the rangers to risk their lives for me. What if something happens to them or this doesn't work? We can't risk that. We have to keep the greater good in mind," said Leo standing up.

"I don't care about the greater good , Leo, if it means losing you. I refuse to look at the bigger picture. I get what you're saying, I just don't care."

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"Hello Andros, this is Mike Corbett , Leo's brother."

"I remember you, Mike, how are you? How are the other rangers?"

"Not so good on either count, unfortunately, Andros. Leo's dying."

"I'm on my way." Andros said, but before he could cut off the communication, Mike spoke up again.

"Before you do, Andros, I should tell you the prophecy or at least the gist of it, because it affects you and all the other red rangers also…"

"I don't know much of the prophecy, but it's tied into his power. Basically…" Mike stopped, choking briefly on tears that had yet to fall.

"I'm on my way, Mike. I'm bringing the other red rangers. Don't let anyone or anything other than you or the other rangers get near Leo until we get there and figure this out. Take care of him Mike. We won't be long. Take care of yourself. "

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"Is this the home of Carter Grayson?" questioned a stern-sounding voice that sounded vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place it, due to the early morning fog in his brain

"This is he? May I ask whose calling?"

"Andros, red astro ranger. Do you have a moment. A fellow red ranger's life is in danger and needs our help."

"I'm listening."

"I don't have the whole story yet, but Leo-red galaxy ranger-"

"Is he okay?" worry creeping into his voice.

"-is dying. Some sort of prophecy, tied into his power. His brother contacted me from Mirinoi, where they live now, after the destruction of Terra Venture. I don't have any other information, but the mega ship is leaving the Nasada spaceport early tomorrow…"

'I'll be there. I'll contact the other rangers from Operation: Forever Red"

"TJ knows.

"We'll be at the mega ship at sun-up. Tell Mike we're coming. And make Leo knows too. Tell him, we're coming."

"I will. And Carter, on behalf of Leo's team, thank you. We're his only hope.


	3. Already Saying Goodbye

The galaxy rangers-minus Leo- and Mike gathered in the living room of Mike and Leo's small cottage on Mirinoi.

Regardless of the fact that the house was scarcely furnished, it had a well-lived in air. The house was located a little bit away from the more populated parts of the village where the other rangers lived. Both men worked long hours, Leo as a teacher and Mike with the GSA who were spread out across various civil service divisions-but the brothers tried to be home as much as possible. The house showed that.

Kai still worked in the GSA like Mike, Damon worked building up the city, Maya and Kendrix worked as horticulturists testing what was healthy for the human inhabitants and what was not, as well as growing up their own supply of natural plants for the humans of earth.

"All the red rangers from that mission Leo went on two years ago are on their way. They leave in the morning, so it will be a few days before they get here."

We're not going to the sabers in the morning" Mike commented, as if daring the rangers to argue with him, "Andros said to keep Leo away from everyone else but us and I plan on listening to him."

"Did he say why?" Kai questioned.

"No, but he sounded pretty insistent. I figure Andros' been around the universe as a ranger longer than any of use, so we should listen to him."

"That makes sense…"

"Where's Leo?"

"He's sitting down on the back porch."

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"Hey kiddo, what you thinking about?"

"Just thinking…"

"Yeah?"

"About dad. I miss him sometimes still. I don't remember him much, but I miss him, ya know?"

"I do too, buddy. I do too."

Silence reigned for a few minutes, until the youngest Corbett spoke up again.

"I remember how much dad used to smile. I remember that he used to make mom smile. And that he used to tuck us in at night. And him singing to us. Sometimes if I think hard enough and imagine it well enough, I still hear him singing."

Mike drew his hand around Leo's shoulders as tears began to moist his eyes.

"I remember when dad died. How much mom cried. And just how sad he was in. I didn't want to do the same thing to my son."

"Leo…?"

"But I can't risk the lives of all these other people, just because I 've got some selfish desire for my son or baby girl to see me and know that I love them."

"Leo..?"

"Mike, when I die, please take care of Kenrix and the baby. Please."

"Leo, uh," Mike struggled for words.

"Leo," her started over, "you're not going to die. Don't think like that….Please."

"Leo, Kendrix is pregnant?"

"We just found out. I was going to ask her to marry me tonight. But, how can I ask her if I won't even live to see the wedding."

"Don't think like that, Leo." Mike said sharply. "You're not going to die. You're gonna make it. We'll help. And you will live to see your baby born and to get married and to get old with Kendrix. You will, I have no doubt about that…It's not selfish to want to see your baby Leo. It's not selfish at all. "

"Mike, you heard the prophecy, there is only the slimmest of chances that this will work."

"It doesn't matter Leo. It's wrong."

Leo looked at his brother, wanting so bad to believe him, but unable to.

"I've never lied to you, Leo. I'm not about to start now."

"Okay," though he still sounded tentative.

"You should ask Kendrix tonight. You both need some happiness today. Let Maya and me take care of the wedding plans. Spend some time together."

"You sure?" Leo looked at Mike with fearful, innocent eyes. Mike nodded

"Thanks big brother."

Mike drew Leo into a quick hug as they stood up in the moonlight. "You welcome little brother. I love you."

"I love you too."

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	4. First Signs

Leo walked into the living room of the house, Mike following closely behind. Leo knew that, if Mike had been protective before, it would be nothing on how overprotective he would be now.

"Before we go any further, ya guys. I think we should sit down and talk," Mike called.

"Leo," Mike said turning toward his little brother, "Andros says not to get near anywhere else, at all. So we're not going to the sabers in the morning. He's gathered all the red rangers who know you; they'll be here as soon as they can."

"What are we going to do until then?" asked Kendrix. "Cause I don't know if anyone of us can just sit here waiting to see what happens…"

Leo wrapped his arm around her waist. "Why don't we go talk?" he whispered.

Kendrix nodded through the tears that were threatening to fall. "Okay."

"We're gonna be upstairs, okay, ya guys. I have to talk to Kendrix and then we'll be back down. I assume you can amuse yourselves without me…" Leo cracked a whimsical grin. Damon had flopped down on the couch on the chair, Maya was heading to the porch with Mike, and Kai had already started cooking dinner.

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"Sit by me baby. I wanna ask you something."

"Leo?"

"I love you, Kendrix. I don't know if I'll be around much longer and I know this isn't the right place in time to be asking this, but I can't stand the idea of leaving you behind and not letting the whole universe know that I love you" Leo started.

"I don't have a ring or anything to give you, but I…" Leo stopped suddenly, as if choking.

"Leo?" Worry crept into Kendrix voice."

"I'm fine; I just got kind of nauseous there for a second."

"Why don't you lie down, I'll go get Mike."

"No wait, Kendrix, before you go," Leo called after her, "Please just…I wanted to…Would you marry me?" he asked.

"Leo," her voice dropped down to a barely audible whisper, "What did you say?"

Leo stood up, but his face was draining of color, and he was looking shaky. "Would you marry me?"

"Oh Leo, of course I will."

"Good," he said. Then he fainted and fell straight to the floor.

The loud thud of his body hitting the floor seemed to alert their friends downstairs, because Kai yelled upstairs, "Kendrix, Leo, everything all right?"

"Kai, get Mike. Leo's fainted. He hit his head. Get Mike."

"Damn," Kai muttered. "Mike," he called as grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. Mike,"

"Yeah Kai, what is it?" Mike and Maya asked as they made their way in.

"Leo's fainted, upstairs. Kendrix is…"

Kai didn't bother to finish his sentence as Mike, Damon, and Maya rushed up the stairs.

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"Kendrix! What happened?"

Mike bent down to the floor where Leo was still laying.

"Mike why don't you get him on the bed?" Maya said,

"He just fainted. He asked me to marry him and I said yes, and he said good. And he just fainted. He got dizzy for a second before, but he just fainted."

"It's okay Kendrix. He's probably just pushed himself too hard today. We'll just have to be more careful from now on. He'll be fine."

Kai stepped forward and handed Mike a wrapped a wet dishtowel.

"He doesn't have a temperature or anything."

"That won't last long. You heard what that elder said. He's gonna just keep getting sick and sick, until it kills him. "

Mike re-arranged the towel on Leo's forehead, because despite his earlier words of comfort to Leo, he didn't know how they were going to fight this or what they could do.

These weren't normal forces. And they wanted his baby brother.

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Leo did not regain consciousness for another fifteen minutes.

"Hey kiddo, how you feeling?" Mike asked tenderly.

Leo was quiet for a second, "Mike?"

"You passed out buddy. But you'll be fine. Today was pretty emotional."

"My head hurts."

"You hit your head when you hit the floor. You have a pretty nice bump, but you'll be okay."

"Hey guys," Damon called out, "I have an idea. Why don't we take it easy tonight? Leo looks dea…tired. And we're all pretty exhausted ourselves."

"That's a good idea. Why don't you guys stick here tonight?"

"That sounds like a good plan. Though, it looks like 'we' doesn't include Leo since, uh, he's asleep again…"

Sure enough, Leo had already fallen asleep.

"Why don't we head downstairs you guys, Mike you'll be okay?" Maya asked.

'Yeah, I'm just gonna stay up here. Make sure he's all right, before I head down," Mike indicated.

"Call if you need us, ok?"

Mike's "sure" was barely audible.


	5. Telephone calls and Unbroken Promises

Leo didn't quite sleep through the night. He woke up several times in a cold sweat and, even more than that, screaming and breathing heavily.

Mike stayed with him the whole time.

"Leo, Leo, wake up, wake up. It's just another nightmare. Leo, wake up," Mike was getting more and more agitated as Leo seemed unable to wake up from this nightmare.

"Mike…"

"You were having another nightmare Leo, why don't you go back to sleep."

"Nuh-uh, every time I fall asleep, I have another bad dream. You should though?"

"Wha?"

"Go to sleep, Mike, you've been here all night and we have to be awake in a few hours. I'll be fine.

"I'm not leaving you Leo!"

"It's only for a few hours."

"Mike, please."

"Leo, why don't you get it? I refuse to stand aside and let you feel like crap. I won't do it. Just get it through your thick skull, I'm not leaving. You keep obsessing that I will be leaving and I am not. I won't. So just drop it. "

Leo didn't say anything for a second.

"Mike, I don't think you're gonna leave. I got over that, remember?"

Mike nodded, "I remember."

"But you can't stay here forever, especially if I might not be. "

"Leo…" Mike warned

"Just hear me out Mike, because this is important. I might not be hear for everything. And I may not be here much longer, but I plan on taking full advantage of every second I have left. Like Dad did."

"I know, Leo. But there is no reason to. The rangers should be here within the next two days and we'll figure this out. You keep resting, just keep gathering your strength and we'll figure it out. I promise Leo."

"I know Mike, I'm just…I 'm scared, Mike. I don't want to die, Leo said sadly, but I don't know how I'll make it through this either."

"I know, kiddo, but I promised and I have never broken a promise to you, have I?"

"No, you haven't. It's just…"

"I don't plan on starting here now, either. So just listen to what I say, keep having hope, and we'll make it through this. We always do."

"Okay…Ya know what I think I can go to bed now without a nightmare."

"You do that, but I'm here if you need me. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Good night."

"Good night, little brother."

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"Jason, this is Tommy. I know we haven't talked to in forever. But I just got a phone call from TJ, you know from Operation: Forever Red, he says Leo-red galaxy ranger-is hurt or sick or something and need sour help. He doesn't have any other details. Leo's brother Mike asked for our help. We're meeting at the Nasada spaceport tomorrow at sun-up to head to Mirinoi. If you can, we would all appreciate your help. "

"Cole this is Carter, red-light speed rescue ranger-we need your help. Meet us at the Nasada spaceport at sun-up tomorrow- Tuesday-Leo Corbett-my predecessor is in danger and needs our help. We leave to Mirinoi in the morning."

"Wes, Eric, this is Connor-red Dino Thunder-Dr. O says Leo –uh the red ...uh…galaxy ranger, you know the guy who lives on Mirinoi is dying and needs our help. So we're all meeting there at the Nasada airport or, uh, I mean spaceport tomorrow at like sun-up or something. I'm gonna catch up with Dr. O in Reef side and go there. Anyways, yeah we need your help."

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"What's wrong with him Tommy? You didn't leave me with many details. Anyways, I'll be there at sun-up. I guess we'll figure it out soon. Be careful man."

"I'll be there. But uh Mirinoi, what's that. And what's wrong with him? Be careful man."

"We'll both be there. Anything I should bring or tell Eric to get? If not, see you at sun-up. Be careful, man."


	6. Secrets and Lies

"So, I have to say, I don't know much about Leo. He came and left so fast, last time around, that all I know is he's Andros' successor and fought in space."

"Deca what information can you give us on Leo and his power?" Andros asked. 

"Leo fought as the red galaxy ranger and leader of his team for almost one year. It should be noted that Leo kept working as an active ranger, even after the defeat of Trakeena, as he worked to protect the colony and indigenous peoples of Mirinoi" came Deca's automated voice.

"He was seriously injured several times and almost died at least twice," she continued.

"Finally, it should be known, Leo did not originally hold the red galaxy ranger powers."

"What, how'd he get them then?" asked Cole. 

"The Galaxy rangers held the power of the Quasar Sabers. This power is ancient, with the last known rangers carrying it over 3,000 years ago. Leo had snuck aboard the space colony Terra Venture as a teenager and into a training session on a practice moon where he met Kai, chief helm officer for Terra Venture and Kendrix, head of the Science & Research Department. He also ran into his brother, Mike Corbett, who was second-in-command on Terra Venture. At the time this was happening, the Maya's home planet of Mirinoi was under attack by a monster named Furio. Maya ran into a portal onto the practice moon. Once there, Mike and Kendrix followed her to help. Leo, despite his brother's warning not to do so, ran after them. Kai headed back to the colony but then followed in the original Astro Megaship with Damon, head engineer. "

"That doesn't explain how he got the power, though," Conner Interrupted.

"You have interrupted me," Deca said, sounding almost aghast at the idea of someone doing so on her ship. 

"Sorry," he blushed.

"Once on the planet, they pulled-in an act of necessity- the sabers which no one previously had been able to pull. Mike pulled the red rangers power, Maya yellow, Kendrix pink, Kai blue, and Damon green. Right after his occurred, Furio casted a spell turning the planet to stone. All the rangers and Leo were able to get away, despite heavy Sting-winger attacks. Furio, then, opened up a chasm into the ground which Mike fell into. Despite Leo's heavy protests, Mike passed the saber onto Leo and dropped from the chasm wall. Through the actions of the Magna Defender, he was saved many months later and came to possess that power, despite Leo's firm beliefs that he did not deserve to lead the team and it was Mike's destiny. Needless to say, Mike banished that thought."

"So what's wrong with him now," asked Jason, directing his question to Andros. 

"I don't know. Deca can you replay the transmission I received from Mike regarding this?"

"Certainly Andros."

At the end of the transmission, there was silence. 

Jason spoke up first, "Whatever it is must be serious, if they are asking for help. Most rangers are too proud to do that."

It took a few seconds to admit to it, but eventually they all nodded, it acted as both a confirmation and denial of his statement.

"Leo, as well as the rest of his team, came and helped the rest of my team in Mariner Bay when Trakeena's resurrected mutation and Olympius and their goons started acting together. We probably wouldn't have made it, if not for their help," noted Carter. 

"He was a good sport too, when the Astro rangers showed up to fight the Psycho rangers who we fought and trapped as data cards during out primary time as rangers…Anyways, we have several hours to go, before we reach Mirinoi, so we should probably disperse now. Feel free to make yourself comfortable on the ship, but please don't break anything."

TJ chucked at that, laughing at some long-forgotten memory. 

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Meanwhile, on Mirinoi, things had become progressively worse. Leo had slept the rest of the night peacefully, but had woken up with a high fever. He had been unable to keep anything down and was beginning to look worse. The rangers had gathered in his room, discussing the options, and trying to keep his spirit up and hopes alive. 

"Leo, I have to say, when you snuck aboard Terra Venture, I wasn't foreseeing any of this," Kai joked. 

Leo chucked weakly, "Were any of us?"

"I remember watching the rangers fight in Angel Grove. I used to wish I was one. Until they got hurt or something, than I wasn't so keen on it."

"Do you regret it?" Asked Kendrix. 

"Sometimes I think I should and sometimes I used to, but I can't anymore."

Leo mumbled something, "What's that, little brother?"

"What, oh, just nothing, thinking that that makes sense. I mean being a ranger sucked sometimes ya know, but think of all the things we got to do, we couldn't or wouldn't have the chance to do otherwise. And it makes me happy to know I did it, but really sad too."

Thoughts about their various sacrifices seemed to be on all the minds of the rangers as they sat there, because when Leo spoke up, no one seemed disturbed by the idea.

"Sometimes, if I think about it too much, I think maybe the reason this team had to give up so much," his eyes flickered from Maya-who had lost her planet, to Kendrix-who had lost her life, to 

Mike-who had lost both his powers and his life, to Kai-who had lost the stability that meant so much to him, to Damon, who had lost the ship he had lovingly worked on, "meant I was doing something wrong as a red ranger. The red rangers used to be my heroes, I used to watch them, and when I met them a few years back, I realized that maybe all the red rangers were just stumbling along, with no idea what was in store, just some notion of what their job was. Me and some of the other rangers got to talking about it, actually. Did you know that we are the only known team of power rangers, without an official mentor, notwithstanding Alpha, who is supposed to assist? It makes me think now, that we did pretty damn well as a team. It makes me proud I was part of this team. 

"Leo, I gotta say, despite the fact that I've known you all this time, you still manage to surprise me. I didn't know you were that deep man, or that you worried about the team, that way," Damon chucked. 

"You wound me, man!" Leo flashed his trademark grin, causing Mike and Maya to also start laughing. "I'm…I'm wounded." He laughed.

"Anyways, Leo you lost things too. We all did," Kai said as they all calmed down while laughing. "I bet every ranger did. I know that the teams before us lost their mentor. And Andros and another member of his team-"

"And Karone," interrupting Kendrix, who was very protective of her counterpart in pink.

"---lost their planet. I guess it's just part of being a ranger. "

Silence reigned in the room for a few short seconds, until Kai spoke up again "I get what you're saying though, I used to be really scared that we were screwing up as rangers, whenever we lost or had to give up-even if it is temporary or whatever- or when we'd get caught, but looking back now, we didn't too bad. " 

"When did you get so optimistic, Kai?" Kendrix asked, semi-seriously, causing everyone to chuckle again. 

"You know what," Maya spoke up for the first time, "Being a ranger means you see a lot of things you never would have seen otherwise, but once you do, life is different, because you know things these things that so few others-maybe no one else-does. We're not the same people we were, before we became power rangers. We'll never be those people again. Never again." 

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"You okay Andros?" TJ asked. 

"All the former red rangers had retired to their rooms, but TJ had known-rather instinctively- that Andros has been bother by something in their meeting and had found him on the bridge of the Megaship doing a systems scan of the Megaship while fiddling around with some of the particle detectors in the computer systems."

"Yeah, but no-one these days, comprehends how important it is to make a good spaceship and it's gonna take a lot of work, to get this one up to par."

"Better watch out, buddy. If this Deca is anything like the old one, you'll be eating spinach for as long as she feels like it."

Andros chucked, "Yeah, that's about right. These onboard animated computers do have an attitude."

Silence feel over the ship for almost fifteen more minutes as TJ sat down in front of the operations & safety console to do an engine scan. 

"I have to admit to be a little worried about Leo. Ashley is too, for that matter. His team was always independent of other ranger teams. They were kinda an in-between team, so the fact that they called us, means it must be important. And it has been some time, since I spoke to any of the Galaxy rangers. From what I understand, they have all been very busy settling on Mirinoi." Andros looked over at TJ, whose face was turned towards the viewing screen, but was obviously waiting for him to continue. 

"You probably already knew that, didn't you?" Andros asked, slightly exasperated and slightly surprised.

"I did, you seemed upset during our meeting. I figured I would wait for you to come out with it. It won't help this situation-whatever it is-but it may help you to know that we're all here, because we are all worried. None of us know Leo or his team well, but power rangers are power rangers and we stick by each other. "

Andros nodded. TJ knew this was Andros' way of thanking him. 

"The thing is we may not be over worrying. Zordon used to speak of a source of power that was hidden away from those who would use it to destroy the universe. They are the original source of ranger power and they were hidden in five everyday swords, sabers if you will. They were placed in a stone and have only been used twice in the 10,000years in which they have been placed. Once, 3,000 years by those known as the ancient rangers. And by five ordinary young persons-the galaxy rangers. If Leo dies, then the power rangers are done. " 

TJ looked up sharply.

"It's almost ironic that Leo is the one in danger, because the red galaxy ranger powers are of particular importance. Like all rangers, their powers became part of our basic formation. Part of our DNA, I believe they say on Earth, but Leo's powers are very special, because all our powers are tied to his sabers and therefore his DNA. If Leo dies, the power may or may not die.

"What do you mean?"

"The forces of evil, besides from their usual quests to take over the universe, have always in-fought for one thing: the ultimate power. "

"Leo!" TJ breathed.

"Leo. He's the ultimate power or at least the key to this ultimate power. If evil gets him, then we're all dead and the power is gone. But if Leo dies naturally, then the power continues to live on, as long as his spirit remains in the saber."

"That doesn't…how long have you known?'

"About Leo holding the power, when we joined them to help defeat the psycho rangers, and I realized that their power was that of the quasar sabers. About the power, since I began training to receive the red astro ranger powers. But I didn't say anything, because there was nothing we could do about it. I made sure to keep an eye on him and his team, though."

"When are we going to tell the other rangers?"

"I would have liked to tell them, tonight. I don't like to keep things from my fellow red rangers, but I think I need to tell Leo and his teammates first. They deserve to know. This will affect them worst. Because either way, Leo is screwed. And either way, there is nothing we can do."

TJ nodded, "So what are we doing there. Offering our support and trying to find a way to save the power?"

Andros nodded, "It's all we can do."

"What's going to happen to Leo?" TJ could barely keep from asking the questions he had at once. Andros had given him so much information, but it seemingly left some out so much vital information.

Andros stayed quiet causing TJ to look up at him. Only for the third time, since TJ had known Andros in his role as a ranger, did Andros look like this. When the rangers had found Zhane in his cryogenic tube, when Karone had been kidnapped back to the Dark Fortress and had turned evil, and when Andros had carried down Astronema to the feet of their fellow citizens of Angel Grove, believing her dead. This paralleled that. 

"Leo will waste away. From the inside out. He'll lose his mind, he'll lose his strength. And those around him will lose Leo. It'll move fast. If he just found out, which I believe his team and him just did, it will likely give him only a few weeks. Not more than a month."

"Andros, I know you said that you learned this in training, but how and why?"

"Each red ranger has a very specific role in the universe, besides that of battling the forces of evil to maintain balance in the universe. As red astro ranger, the official term is guardian. The red astro ranger's role is the guardian of the one that holds the ultimate power."

"What's mine?"

"I can't tell you. Not because I do or do not know, but because you need to find that on your own. Sorry."

"That's fine. Thanks, though." TJ asked

"Andros" Deca spoke up, "We will be at Mirinoi within the hour. Would you like me to wake the other rangers?"

"Yes Deca, please. I'm going to finish up in here with the particle accelerators scan. Would you finish the engine scan? I don't trust these new model computers."

"Sure thing, friend."

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"You okay, Leo?"

"My head kinda hurts, brother. Can't really breathe, either."

Mike placed a hand on his Leo's head. 

"Looks like your fever is coming back up. Let me go get a towel."

"Mike, do we know anymore than we did yesterday? I mean, what's gonna happen, what's going on?"

Mike shook his head sadly, "Not yet."


	7. Broken hearts and Cautious Whispering

"Hey Buddy?" Mike pushed open the door with his foot; his hands were holding a tray.

"Leo?" Mike set the tray he was carrying on the table near the empty bed.

"Leo?" he called again.

A soft padding sound from the direction of the bathroom got his attention, "Mike, yeah?" Leo asked.

"Leo, what are you doing out of bed? And without telling one of us? What if you passed out again or got sick? And none of us knew you weren't here?" Mike's voice rose with each syllable.

Leo maneuvered around his brother carefully, heading to the couch at the window.

"Mike, I feel loads better now. I just had to go to the bathroom. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal, Leo," Mike's voice betrayed his disbelief. "Leo, we have to stop being so careless. You have to stop being so careless. You can't afford to be lax anymore. I intend on keeping you around, so you gotta work with me brother."

Mike sat on the bed; the brothers' knees touching.

"Mike," Leo started slowly. "I was in the bathroom, but I have a feeling this isn't about that. You need to calm down," Leo said evenly. "I'm not in a rush to leave you anymore, brother, but for your sake, you gotta stop holding on so tight."

Mike was silent for a few seconds; he searched the younger man's face for a few seconds.

"How about this? You be honest with me about how you're feeling, whatever that is. And I , in return, promise to keep my worries quieter," surmised Mike.

"Knock, Knock," Kendrix called. "Oh hey Mike didn't know you were in here."

Mike smiled, a little sadly, "I was just leaving." Pausing, he bent down to place a hand on his brother's shoulder, but then turned it into a hug, relishing the fact that his brother was still there.

Walking to the stairs, he walked into the bathroom to turn off the light which Leo had forgot to close. His eyes lingered on the sink where a few drops of blood stained the counter. And he knew, instinctively, why Leo was in the bathroom.

The eldest Corbett stepped into the bathroom, closing the door, shutting off the light, and sank down to the floor. For the first time, in more than a decade, Mike prayed, silently trying to stifle his tears.

"Oh God please." He whispered. "Please, God. Let Leo be all right. Let him be okay. Please God."

Mike remembered the day his dad died and the way Leo had clung to him. And he remembered the day their mother left, found dead only days later, and the stoic expression on the younger Corbett's face. And Mike remembered the terror of being separated and the hell that they had both gone through, separated from the only person who knew that pain.

"Please, God. I can't lose him too. Take anyone, anything else. Forget anything else I ever wished for. For dad, grand-dad, anyone. Keep them, but please don't take Leo. He's the only family I got left. "

Mike rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand. He slowly got to his feet and stared at his darkened expression in the mirror, before he clicked on the light.

As he cleared up the blood on the counter, taking pains to make sure it would not be seen by anyone else. "And God, please, "he finished, "if you do take him, please don't let him suffer too much. Help him through this. "

Satisfied that the blood was gone, Mike washed his faces of the tear. He stared at the water as it slipped through the drain. It reminded Mike of a stream he had seen once on a trip him, his youngest brother, and his parents had gone on when he was only 5 years old, one of the last family trips they had taken. The water here, like the water there, tumbled over itself as it moved on to the next best thing.

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"Hey Leo," Kendrix said softly.

Leo smiled up at Kendrix; the dazzling, bright, innocent smile that Kendrix had fallen in love with when they had first met. He stood up, "Hey baby," he whispered, catching a soft kiss. "What you doing up here?"

"Well, I was thinking of going out for a walk and I figured, you must be awfully sick of being cooped up in here…"

"Oh I am," he chuckled. "But before we go, I wanted to talk with you."

Kendrix shook her head, "We'll talk as we walk. The fresh air will do both of us good."

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"Hey Mike, "Kai called from the small kitchenette. "There you are."

Mike looked up, a questioning glance on his face. "Yeah?"

"Andros contacted us through the MegaShip, told us they would be here. And Principal Hage called asking where Leo was today. We, uh, forgot to call, in all the chaos, and let him know Leo would be out sick for a few days. But it should be all good, now. "

Mike nodded, a little distracted.

"Hey Leo," Maya cried happily. "What are you doing up?"

"Yeah man," Damon called from his spot near the coffee table, where some sort of manual was spread out before him. "It's good to see you out of the room, man."

Leo chuckled, "it's good to be out."

"What are you doing up," Mike asked suspiciciously.

Leo roped his arm around Kendrix' waist, pulling her close to him. "We were gonna go for a walk. Get some fresh air."

"That is maybe not such a good idea, little bro. "

At Leo's questioning glare, he continued. "It's just that Andros specifically warned us to stay away from any other people. That's why we didn't go to the sabers."

"Did he say why?"

Mike shook his head, "He'll be here soon enough though with the other rangers," he trailed off.

"As the rangers settled back into their routines preparing for the visitors and whatever was going to come next, a soft quiet fell over the room. Kai went back to dinner for them and the former rangers,; Damon continued to fiddle with the satellite system of the TV, while dutifully ignoring the manual. Maya was sitting on the couch reading one of Leo's school books and Mike was in the dining room pacing.

Leo joined Kendrix on the back porch holding some ungraded quizzes. The light breeze blew the air of sweet cinnamon all around them; its plant grew wild on Mirinoi.

"What are you thinking about" he asked lightly, setting himself down comfortably next to her.

Kendrix looked up at him, "Just…" she shook her head, "Let's not talk for now. Let's jus sit here." Leo looked at her, worry creased his brow. "Just tell me, are you okay?'

Leo's concern seemed to be the shattering point for Kendrix, "Oh Leo," she cried, "I had a dream last night that you died."


	8. We're Stronger Together

Leo looked down at Kendrix, sleeping with her head on his lap. Her admission, despite how much it scared her, may have scared him more, confused and saddened him. Leo, in spite of his earlier arguments, didn't want to die. But maybe it was him, maybe the red ranger in him but Leo didn't see any other way out. The old man at the sabers had told the rangers in the darkened forests, that he was destined to die or live a life he could not bear to lead. The options of ranger's help or suicide would leave him a murderer no matter which way he chose to look at it.

Leo couldn't imagine that the red galaxy powers, which he had felt so deeply as sources of goodness and strength, could be this destructive.

He shook his head and went back to grading his students' quizzes. Leo had fallen into teaching completely and totally by accident. Mirinoi's small grade school was being built up and they were short some teachers. One of the parents of the students he had cared for in is daycare had recognized him hanging around the village and had recommended him to the principle. Two weeks later, and degreeless, he had a job. That thought brought a smile to his face; his brother and friends' had been so surprised. He knew though that he, and they, were thankful; teaching felt right. It was a purpose he had only felt as a ranger and it had depressed him immensely to think that he would never feel that again. Those weeks after putting his saber back in the stone had been harsh, to say the least.

The former space colony now held correspondence classes with Earth by satellite. Leo had signed up for summer classes three years ago and now, if he made it to the end of the semester, he would graduate.

Even his relationship with Kendrix was going especially well. Leo had remained overly protective of here even from he lay on in the improvised med-bay, his injuries much more severe after the adrenaline had worn off. He chuckled grimly and thought to himself, I guess trying to pull a kamikaze and surviving does that to a guy.

His smile faded. In typical Corbett luck, of course, all those good things were heading swiftly down the figurative drain.

He shook his head, dedicated to being realistic, even if was just for the sake of his brother and fiancée.

He looked down at Kendrix, a ghost of a smile on her face. He knew he truly did love her. He slipped his graded quizzes through the window behind his head and slwly got up stretching the dull ache in his back and legs out. Despite the amount of sleep he had gotten in the past few days, there seems to be an almost-phantom exhaustion that was haunting his muscles. Aches and pains he normally felt only after hard battle. Exhaustion that came only a few times during his time of active duty.

Bending down to Kendrix, he whispered playfully in her ear. "Kendrix, baby, Kendrix, wake up." His soft breaths did nothing but cause her smile to grow wider. "Kendrix," he whispered again. Closer to her face now. Sighing, he picked her up in his arms. With his arms below her neck and knees, she relaxed closer into his arms.

Inside, as Leo made his way up the stairs, all was quiet. Maya was asleep in the hammock near the front open window. Kai was in the kitchen. Damon had fallen asleep on the couch. Mike was sitting down, his head in his hands, also asleep.

Kneeing the door open, he lay Kendrix down, before covering and himself with the comforter.

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Elsewhere in the universe, a dark ship floated along looking dead to prying eyes. The helm of the ship was shaped like a skull, three very distinct markers the only clue to its deep and dark history. These markings were important symbols, by the mere fact of their existence, the ship could not be found.

Less than a dozen creatures occupied the ship, only one of the souls was human. This human had been captured more than a dozen years ago after being auctioned off of Onyx. Before that, he had been forced to spend five long years being traded from slave-trader to slave-trader.

He lay unconscious in a small cage in the room. The youngest baby's breaths were stronger than his own, which came out in ghostly pale sheets, which matched his skin. His skin, of course, under the blood and bruises. His lips were blue. Unconscious, though, didn't stop two trons from grabbing his broken arms and dragging him out of the room into the center of a much larger circular room.

Leaving him alone, there, Brian Corbett was left to his nightmares.

The evil that controlled the ship had discovered a most effective method to torture their prisoner several years ago. Locking him in his nightmare, while still enjoying his torment, waiting and watching him struggle to save his sons, when he could not even lift his own head anymore. This time, the nightmare was that of Mike's death and Leo's grief. The young father could not do anything, his pain increased.

Outside of the room, a single thought whispered aloud, "It's almost time."

On Mirinoi, it was time. The red rangers that Leo knew of and even some he didn't had gathered in the living room of the small cottage, having teleported there from the new Astro Megaship.

"Andros," Mike greeted warmly, remembering him for the support him and his team had offered them. "Thanks for coming."

Andros nodded, getting right back to the point. "Leo?"

"Sleeping Upstairs."

Nodding, Andros paused to take a look around. "When he wakes up, I'll need to speak with you and him, as soon as I can." He paused, focusing back on Mike. "We'll need to talk as a group too, but I'd like to speak with you first. I think I may know what we're dealing with here."

Mike jerkily moved his head, trying to quell a rising fear in his stomach at the sense of urgency that the astro ranger's voice betrayed.

Next to Mike and Andros, TJ had taken over the mantle of playing welcome. Being the only other ranger who knew both the red rangers and the galaxy rangers, it seemed up to him to introduce. Thankfully, the rangers seemed to gel quickly.

Carter had joined Kai in the kitchen, as did Wes and Eric. The latter two were doing more of the watching than the helping, Cole had warned Kai as he was introduced to him, that it was likely not a good idea to let either of them near anything anyone would actually want to eat.

Connor and Damon were sitting on the couch. Damon was still messing with the satellite and Connor watched with interest, though he truly had no idea what Damon was doing. .

Jason and Tommy were standing next to TJ

Maya stood by TJ, uncomfortable and worried. TJ seemed to sense her discomfort, though not her reason for being uncomfortable.

"I promise," he joked. "They've all had their shots. And they're all pretty good guys when you get down to it, despite what this pow-wow mat look like. "

Maya looked curiously at TJ. "Shots? Pow-wow? I don't think I get…"

TJ blushed lightly, "Sorry, I forget sometimes. It's an earth…I guess. Thing. I just mean that they may be hyper, but they're good guys and they're taking this seriously."

Maya looked at him closely for a second, taking the time to study his eyes. "Thank you," she finally said quietly.

"Anyways, now that we're all here together. We'll figure it out. We're Power Rangers, it's what we do."


	9. Evil truths

Leo made his way down the stairs slowly, relieved he had woken up alone. Getting out of the small bed upstairs had been difficult; the phantom pain he had felt earlier had erupted into full-blown pain. His knees creaked as he walked down the stairs; it reminded him of a man 50 years older than he. Stumbling quietly, Leo stopped to take a few deep breaths, calming his erratic heartbeat. The voices around the bottom end of the stairway were louder than it ever was or could be with only the galaxy rangers and Mike; Leo figured the other rangers from Earth had arrived. Turning the corner Leo was greeted by the sight of eight former red rangers and his own team overfilling the small living room.

"Hey Leo," Wes greeted him, his friendly face open. "Nice to see you." The Time Force's rangers greeted seemed to be the clue for the group to all begin speaking to him at once.

Andros and Mike made their way to him across the din of the noise, "Hey bro, how are you feeling?" Mike asked.

"I'm okay Mike," Leo lied through his teeth. Mike searched the younger Corbett eyes for a few second, "I hate it when you lie to me Leo," he finally said. Leo blushed a little, his cheeks for a second matching his ranger uniform; he forgot sometimes: "big brothers always knew" as Mike had used to tell him when he was still a teenager, usually in response to some stupid thing or another that he had done.

Andros spoke up, his serious tone drawing Leo out of memories that seemed to haunt him lately. "I need to speak with the two of you as soon as possible," the sense of urgency in his voice did nothing to calm either Corbett down. Leo nodded, "That's fine. "

"How are you feeling," he asked Leo.

"I'm all right Andros. How are you, how's the family?" Andros and Ashley had been married five years earlier and already had two little girls, twins, four years old. . "We're all very good. The girls are looking forward to seeing their Uncle Leo," Andros smiled warmly. "I miss them, haven't had a chance to get off Mirinoi in ages it seems," Leo smiled. Leo was the godfather to both Carter and Andros' little girls, as well as Carter and Dana's youngest Mathew. "Hopefully, you'll see them soon. Mike tells me you and Kendrix are engaged and expecting." If Leo had been more himself and less exhausted in that second, he would have caught the sadness that had crept into the former red ranger's voice, but Mike had. He filed it for later, as soon as introductions were done, his brother, Andros, and Leo were going to sit down and talk about this. Turning away from Leo, Andros squeezed Leo's shoulder briefly, a small gesture of support, and made his way over to the small window where he was standing, seemingly waiting for something that he couldn't pinpoint.

All the rangers said hello like-wise, taking the time for brief introductions. Tommy introduced Connor who fumbled over his words so badly that Leo couldn't help but crack a joshing smile.

Why was it that all the newbie's thought the reds that came before were heroes far above them, Leo wondered? Of course Leo already knew the answer to that, it was experience. When he had first met Andros he had been in awe, had been in Angel Grove the day that the rangers revealed 

themselves. Carter too had admitted to being shocked when he met Leo, three years his junior, but a graduated red ranger. He supposed it was a ranger thing

Sitting himself down next to his fiancée on the armrest of the love seat, Leo circled an arm around her shoulder. "Hey baby," he mumbled. Kendrix looked at him, her arm resting on her stomach, she didn't look pregnant yet, but she couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of her first child. Squeezing his hand on her shoulder, she listened as Leo addressed the room, only the flutter of nervousness in his voice giving himself away. "Thanks for coming," an ironic smile spread across his face, "I don't know how much you know. Honestly, I can't saw we know much either, but…" he trailed of looking around to Mike, the big brother who always had the answer or Andros, the red ranger he had almost-worshipped before and during his time as a ranger.

Mike took over for Leo, a little worried. Only his long association and the knowledge he intrinsically he knew of his baby brother allowed him to know Leo where others didn't. His eye's had dulled and darkened, Mike knew this meant that he wasn't feeling well, his own eyes had given his lie of being "fine" away.

"One of the leaders of the Mirinite people here met with us a few days ago. He told us of this prophecy that has been passed down in the culture here for eons. They say that the prophecy is referring to Leo. That…" he trailed off, rightfully becoming more upset.

"Yes, I know what prophecy you're talking about," Andros cut in. "On KO-35 we have one too. It's rather universal, I believe. It's rooted in the lore of the power rangers and the magic of the morphing grid.

"What is the prophecy," Cole interrupted slowly.

Andros shook his head, "it's different on every planet, I would think. But on KO-35 its short, a saying rather. The last time I hear it was in ranger training, about a decade ago, more actually, the briefest look of significance passed between the red turbo ranger, TJ, and the red astro ranger before Andros started. "The yielder will rise, he yielder will fall, become one with the yielded. The only saving light is fire, beware the fire of night."

Leo closed his eyes as he recalled the prophecy that they had been told, reciting it was easy, it felt like it had been seared into his memory. He couldn't forget its burning presence. "On the day when the sun shines high, a great darkness will fall from the sky. He of fire and light will go final. For those of four, one, and all; a great hero will die. The strength of a sum Hell behold, for it will thought to be that of fault, yet only one will suffer this night. To be saved, this great evil must be fought, though his pain will never stop. His cross to bear with one to mourn." Opening his eyes, he blinked owlishly he had sworn for a second that he had seen something standing in the corner, a woman, but he was sure it was a delusion. Of course, that thought didn't provide him any relief either.

Silence reigned in his room, the purposes of the prophecy were clear enough. After a few minutes of pondering silence in the room, Jason spoke up. "Leo, what's your power source?"

"Our sabers, I can't say how, but our galaxy power is held in the sabers. The sabers are our connection to the grid, I know.

"Saber?" Eric asked, the question coming out harsher than intended.

Without speaking, Leo shakily made his way to the center of the room, away from to many people. He didn't feel comfortable trusting his reflexes and the saber was dangerous. With a quick single flick of his wrist, Leo's morpher appeared on his left wrist, resting comfortably there as if it belonged; the saber in the palm of his left hand. "I can access the power, though, even when not morphed. I don't know why." With a loud whoosh from the sword, Leo flipped it so that his hands rested closer on the handle to the steel blade. Something Eric would have classified as reverence gleaned dangerously in his green eyes, making their deadened look come alive for the briefest of seconds.

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Brian Corbett had not meant to leave his sons. Him and his wife, as well their two boys, had been on a simple park visit when he disappeared the whole world thinking him dead. His wife did not know of why he had been taken; his boys were too young to event understand as anything more than a simple school teacher. But Brian Corbett was more than that; he was a descendent of Zordon's original earth rangers, a vigilante with nothing more than his knives to help him. And he was every demon's worst nightmare. His parents had taught what he swore he never would teach his boys, just like his grandparents had taught his parents, and great-grandparents had taught his grandparents, all the way through the line of Corbett men. He had sworn he would never put his family in danger with it, but he could not leave it alone either. This proved to be his downfall.

These were not the only thoughts that haunted his nightmares, sometimes he dreamt of pure torture sessions (the ones he had endured for more terrible years than he cared to live for). Sometimes he dreamt of his boys and his wife, Alisa. Those were the saddest dreams he ever begged for. But despite his broken-down state, this was not what was killing him. Brian Corbett knew of his youngest boys' future. Knew of the prophecy that was to kill the red galaxy ranger, knew now that he had not been able to protect his sons from the horrors of the universe.

Outside of the room, it was time. The spirits that haunted and ran the ship had coalesced themselves within a monstrous -looking body to say, "Bring me that red ranger. Kill whoever you want, but I want Leo Corbett."

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Eric Myers grasped the handle of the saber gently. With the saber's rather spectacular entrance into the room, so had entered an amazing immutable power that seemed to resonate from the sword. He looked at it, light seemed to be attracted to the sword. Passing down the lines of rangers around the room, they handed it precariously. Finally getting it to Mike, he handed it back to his brother swiftly. Mike Corbett had no love for that saber.

Leo grasped the saber gently flicking his wrist gently so that the saber and morpher disappeared, as if the wind had taken them too. This was not the right thing to do it seemed. Trons, the relatives of all the piranhtons and quantrons and the idiot minions that made every ranger's duty annoying, as well as difficult, rained down outside of the home. Forming from black smoke, they were a solid group of fighting machines outside of the living room window where Andros stood.

"Looks like we have company," Jason said. The saber's vast power had disappeared and been replaced with a pulsating adrenaline. Andros and TJ shared another look; this did not bode well. "Carter, Eric, stay in here with Kendrix and Leo. Kendrix and Leo you're not fighting," Andros shook his head.

Leo shook his head. Kendrix stay here…for the baby," his voice was hard. "Mike you too; you don't have your power anymore. Andros I'm fighting."

" Leo," Andros said as he pushed a tron down that had made into the front door, with a solid hook kick and a jab/punch combination. "You're not up for it."

Leo ignored him, pushing Kendrix and Mike out of the way as three trons jumped through the glass window, covering all of them with shards of glass. "Connor," Leo barked, "Get them out of here."

Connor didn't think twice. Hustling the bleeding Kendrix and Mike out of the room, despite their rather violent arguments. Locking them in a room upstairs, a bathroom Connor noted, "They do not need this now."

The sounds of the fight downstairs grew louder as every ranger found himself battling several of the minions at once. Tommy jumped up in the air double kicking three of them, before landing and kicking two down with a couple of tornado kicks. The domino effect of their fall and explosion sent three others down at Cole's left.

TJ jumped into battle with Andros. If they could cover each other, it could give them an edge to morph. Finally they had a second and morphed quickly and tag- teamed Wes and Eric who morphed respectfully into the time force and quantum rangers.

Andros shouted, "Booster mode," combining his spiral saber and astro blaster to take out three of the goons. TJ also used his astro axe to take out two trons advancing on Wes who had had been triple-teamed.

Maya jumped onto the tree watching as a tron came behind Eric who was busy with the four attacking him. Jumping from the tree, she kicked a tron away from him and landed on her feet, where she joined Eric as they battled the ever growing group of minions.

Jason went about the fight the good ole-fashioned way. Without morphing, he flipped over two of the trons, grabbing them together and then sweeping one down. He exploded on impact with the floor causing Jason to be thrown into the air. He caught himself on his feet 

though and kicked the nearest tron into a tree ten feet away. It exploded too in a myriad of sparks and flames.

Other than karate yells and the sound of flames, as well as things breaking, silence reigned for the time it took them to take out the 30 trons.

By the time Wes, Eric, Tommy, Cole, Andros', and TJ had impressively destroyed the rangers, a dozen or so trons had blasted their way through the side of the house, bypassing the door and the broken window for the wall.

Carter flipped a tron off his back throwing it to the floor where it lay for just a split second before joining its other dead buddies. "Watch the floor," Leo joked, rolling under the outstretched arm of one of the trons. Jumping in the air they both flipped off the couch and side kicked two trons through the broken wall.

Kai and Damon quickly followed suit kicking two trons back through the glass window. Flicking his saber, Leo prepared to destroy the trons. The other rangers watched as a red fire traveled up the blade. Bringing it down in a forward slash almost the whole remainder of the trons was destroyed as Andros and Wes took out the last four with their respective weapons.

Upstairs a very angry Kendrix and Mike waited impatiently for a morphed Connor to stop holding the door shut. When silence finally reigned and Leo's tired voice yelled that it was safe to come down, Connor opened the door. Making their way down the stairs, the bottom three which had collapsed in, "Dude, thanks for trusting me with your family, but babysitting them, yeah, not so much with the fun. They're worse than my sisters."

Surveying the room which was heavily damaged, Kendrix made her way over to Leo. "Leo you shouldn't have been fighting. It's no coincidence they were here, they were after you."

Leo shook his head, a blinding, pulsing headache building behind his eyes, "If they are here because of me, its even more reason for me to fight."

"Kendrix is right Leo," Mike said. "You're in no condition to be fighting."

Leo ignored his brother and turned to the other rangers, "Anybody hurt?"

"Just your house," Eric responded. Indeed the house had been damaged. An entire wall had huge chucks missing from it, the window was completely broken and the door had been smashed down. Stairs had collapsed and the furniture had been destroyed beyond repair. Burn marks littered the floor and walls and outside, their front porch, didn't exist anymore. Thankfully, the damage was confined to that part of the house.

"Looks like we have some work to do," Jason remarked.

"Let me go get some tools from my apartment in the city. It's a short walk from here. Anyone up for the walk,"

Cole and Connor jumped at the chance, eager to see the planet.

"Leo, Mike, "Andros whispered, "I need to talk to you now. You're in more danger than I thought Leo." TJ and Kendrix swiftly followed the three of them upstairs to a small sitting room. Downstairs, the rest of the rangers began cleaning up.

"Leo, are you familiar with the rum ors that have surrounded the power of the rangers?"

"No not at all, I never questioned it. "

Mike snorted despite himself, "There's a first time for everything," he mumbled, because he had always know his brother to be extra-curios and extra-troublemaking.

"Zordon of Eltar created the power and the morphing grid which tied into it, many millennia ago. Though he was a great wizard, he was human. He spent over a thousand years perfecting the morphing grid for human use. He needed a conduit for its power though, a tangible conduit that would allow the morphing grid and the power itself to exist on a human plane so that power rangers could exist on it. That was your saber. He also created fellow sabers, but other than the fact they could help power rangers access the power, they were not extra special," he paused.

"The red lion saber, however, is different. It's very existence meant that power rangers could keep fighting and keep accessing the power as long as there was a need for rangers. Despite his genius and his own magical powers, he overlooked one very important fact. His pride. Zordon was a young man at heart and far less wise than what I knew him as when he created the saber. But his strength was unmatched. When the elders of his time told him the weapon was too powerful and whatever being held it would suffer because of it, he laughed it off. So the elders cursed Zordon and that curse, they say, eventually became tied to the saber as well. They say that if a bearer of goodness yields the red lion saber as a power ranger, he will of course be tied to the entire morphing grid through his very DNA …"

"Wait, back up, I'm confused," Mike said. Leo was looking down at the crowd, his hands between his knees, Kendrix's small hand wrapped in his. "What do you mean? What does this mean for Leo?"

"The curse on Zordon said that he would feel the pain of the bearers of power, including the one who held the saber, in place of the rangers themselves. They wanted to tempt him into thinking of his own mortality, but Zordon was killed a few years ago and the curse was transferred to the bearer of the saber. On the next full moon, three nights from now, the full curse will take effect. You'll feel every pain of every ranger, they'll of course feel the residual effect, the curse says this will allow them to remember there own mortality, but you will feel it all. Whoever suffers the curse isn't meant to survive."

Kendrix buried her head in Leo's shoulder, her small sobs causing her shoulders to shake. Wrapping a hand around her waist, Leo tried to provide as much comfort he could despite his shock.

"There's more. It gets worse."

"What could be worse than that?" Mike asked angry and confused and sad and disbelieving and so many emotions that he felt like screaming.

"The power," Andros continued "is the ultimate power that can be handled by living creature. This includes demons, monsters, orgs, mutants, all the 'bad guys', but many of their spirits weren't originally bad. Evil itself is a sprit, can be tangible, can me wind, can be whatever, but because of this, the only way it can get control of the ultimate power which resides in the power, is through the yielder of the power. You, Leo. That's why I didn't want you fighting. It will fight to keep you alive so it can use your ability to handle the power-which no one else can- but it wants you and the power to yourself. If it gets you, the power as it's used for good is destroyed as will all those who bear the power, you'll still live under the curse, and you'll be evil. If you die from the curse naturally, then the power lives on in the sword and the curse is negated. Because the curse will have died with you. Neither is a particularly happy journey," he finished. He k new that the irony was obvious; the curse that would kill Leo would save the power rangers.

"How do you know this," Mike asked after the seconds of silence turned into minutes of silence. 'How do you know?"

"When I was trained to be red ranger, I was told that each red ranger is given a very specific mission separate from their duties as red ranger. Mine is the guardian of the yielder; Leo is the yielder.

I," a look of deep shame and sadness crossed his face, "found that Leo was the yielder when I landed on Terra Venture all those years ago. I knew all along, but there was nothing I could do. I've been searching for anything, something but there is no way that will work. We need a miracle." By now, they were all crying. Mike was startled as TJ got up suddenly, "I'll go tell the others."

Leo was still staring at the floor. "How long do we have," he finally asked."

Andros looked at him sadly, at Kendrix' hand on her stomach and Leo's arms around her shoulder; Mike arms on Leo's knees; the teaching awards on the dresser; the small room in the small cottage that until four days housed two happy brothers and a happy former team of rangers. "Less than a month; three days till the curse takes effect. And Evil already knows where to look."

"Why are all the red here?" he asked.

"Just in case, they're defenders, we need to keep you safe and, also, honestly, I was hoping if we could put our heads together..." he trailed off, there was no need to raise false hopes.

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Downstairs TJ recounted Andros' information to them; it wasn't a story easy to tell; it was not easier to hear for any of them.

Carter buried his head in his hands crying. Leo was his friend, had flown all the way to Earth for his wedding and the birth of children. When Dana had been out of town and his oldest Lena (then two years old) Leo had stayed with him at the hospital all night providing him with coffee-pick-me-ups and watching the little girl while he slept. Leo had been his best man, the godfather of his children and his tie to Andros, another close friend now.

None of the other rangers knew Leo as well. Connor knew nothing of him, apart from the obvious. Red ranger, check. Lives on a different planet, check. Dying, check. He was just another one of the guys; a red ranger, and because of it, a friend.

But Tommy and Jason felt guilt, they knew nothing of Leo's power before today or its ties to Zordon, but it had been their mentor who had had basically signed Leo's death warrant whether he knew it or not.

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Evil manifested itself one more time, a little weaker now because it had nothing to feed on for the moment, "We will not fail again. One day soon, Brian Corbett, your son will join in your suffering and you will have to sit here and watch the son you see die."


End file.
